NDLEA Appeals court ruling discharging socialite Lekki Night Club owner Pretty Mike Of drug offence

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has filed a Notice of Appeal against the ruling of Justice Abrose Lewis- Alagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos division which on the 15th of April, 2026 upheld the no-case submission filed by a Lagos Socialite, Mike Nwalie popularly known as pretty Mike owners of a Lekki Night Club and one Joachim Hillary and discharged the duo of allegation of illegal possession of hard drugs

Joachim Hillary the Night Club Supervisor and socialite entertainer, Mike Nwalie, popularly known as Pretty Mike, owner of the Proxy Lagos Night Club, Victoria Island were both on Thursday November 5, 2025 arraigned before justice Ambrose Alagoa by the NDLEA prosecutor, Mr Buhari Abdullahi on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, illegal possession of hard drug and knowingly allowing the use of the club premises for illegal drug activities.

The charge, dated October 30, 2025, stemmed from a raid by the anti- narcotic agency on the popular nightclub located at No. 7 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos on October 26, 2025, during which anti-narcotic agents recovered a significant cache of illicit substances.

During the raid NDLEA operatives were said to have recovered 200 grams of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug, and 177 cylinders of Nitrous Oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. The cylinders of the Nitrous Oxide was said to have weighed 364.662 kilograms.

Following their arraignment on November 5,2025 the defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail by Justice Alagos in the sum of ₦50,000,000 with two sureties in like sum and the matter was consequently adjourned to January 14, 2026 for commencement of trial.

However, following the conclusion of the prosecution case after calling several witnesses by tendering documents and exhibits, counsel to the defendants Dada Awosika ,SAN, opted for a No-Case submission instead of the defendants to open their defence.

Delivering ruling on the no- case submission of the defendants after parties have filed and exchanged processes, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa in his ruling on April 15, 2026 held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants to warrant them being called upon to enter their defence.

“The evidence placed before the court does not disclose a prima facie case requiring the defendants to enter their defence,” the judge held, adding that what was presented by the prosecution “at its highest, raises mere suspicion, which cannot ground a criminal conviction.”

Justice Alagoa then discharge and acquitted Pretty Mike and his co-defendant.

Dissatisfied with the railing of the court, NDLEA through its counsel Mr Buhari Abdullahi has appealed the judgement alleging miscarriage of justice.

In the appeal filed by Buhari Abdullahi at the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal, the appellant is asking for the following reliefs:
a. An order allowing the appeal and setting aside the ruling of Honourable Justice Ambrose Lewis - Allagoa of the Federal High Court delivered on 15th April, 2026.
An order directing the respondents to enter their defence, and for such further or other orders as the Court of Appeal may deem fit to make in the circumstances..
Stating the particulars of errors in the notice of appeal filed by the complainant ( NDLEA), the appellant stated that the ruling of the trial court discharging and acquitting the Respondents was perverse, having regard to the weight of evidence adduced by the Appellant.

"There is sufficient evidence placed before the trial court to prove the essential ingredients of the offence of unlawful possession under Section 20(2)(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, against the 1st Respondent."

"There is sufficient evidence placed before the trial court to prove the essential ingredients of the offence of allowing the premises to be used for a drug party and drug dealing under Section 12 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, against the 2nd Respondent."


The appellant further stated that the trial court failed completely to evaluate the prosecution's evidence before arriving at the decision discharging and acquitting the Respondents.

The appellant stated that the trial court did not, throughout its decision, evaluate the evidence adduced by the prosecution witnesses, thereby occasioning a miscarriage of justice against the Appellant."

"The evidence adduced by the prosecution linked the Respondents to the commission of the offences with which they were charged.

The Appellant further stated that the learned trial Judge erred in law when he held at the second paragraph of page 22 of the ruling that:
"...and more importantly no drugs were recovered in the possession of the Defendants..."

The prosecution, through the evidence of PW4 and PW5, established the essential ingredient of drug possession against the 1st Respondent.